I led a Grade 6 class through creating apps in Canva, which was awesome because we got to build on our previous year’s experience with Social Media Character Sketches.
We had a long chat about how buttons and links communicate to people that an element can be tapped or clicked. A long chat about buttons 🤨? Well, it actually made for an engaging conversation with the students.
We began by showing the students a video of interactive displays from New York’s Natural History Museum. We then asked what the students noticed about all the buttons on the displays. They observed:
- 🙄 They’re just buttons!
- 👇🏽 They look pressable
- ➖ Things are underlined
- 🌟 They are bright!
- 🗣️ The icons tell you what they do (e.g. back, home, next)
We continued and I asked the class why they know what a button does. “How do you know the house means go home, an arrow means go back, the triangle means play?” They couldn't really pinpoint an answer. Some students just shrugged and said “We just know!”. So I helped them out and expanded it for them — is it because buttons-look-pressable-because-they-are-bright,-underlined,-use-familiar-shapes-and-describe-what-will-happen-when-you- press-them!? INHALE...
While a conversation just around buttons might seem unnecessary, it actually is a pretty important piece in the way people interact with apps. Folks that think about this are called User Experience Designers, or UX Designers for short.
There are plenty of ways that conversations about UX design can benefit students.
- Design Thinking is pivotal in understanding how to design for people. It supports students in creating, innovating and empathizing with their users.
- It provides opportunities for students to practice Applied Design Skills and provide/receive constructive feedback with their peers.
- It can be applied to other mediums besides apps!
During my next visit, I'll begin consulting with small groups of students to give them direction and feedback.
Need a scary (but not too scary) movie to show your class this Halloween? This Common Sense Media approved list has all the best movies to play for your students next week! 🎃